As Promised

So, there it is. The lovely chart. I will post this each week so you can see the progress of the No Named Participants. Some asked for special colors but the chart wizard in Excel would not let me select the colors for the graph, at least not that I could find. Oh well. Looks like every one is stuck with various shades of blue.

I did survive the P90X Cardio X this evening. I will post my review tomorrow.

Week One Results

So, the first full week of the weight loss challenge has come and gone. I was in the process of getting a chart together to share and then I realized that not everyone will want their information out there. Granted, it might be more of a motivator but it is not my place to put it all out there. Perhaps I can put the weight to a color. You can then guess what color goes to whom! That might be fun. Hmmmm, I think I may be on to something now. BUT, I cannot do that until we have all players in place. Right now, there are 3 late comers so the chart would be slightly lopsided. Look for a chart next week then, with colors in place of names.

So, that brings me to this week’s results. Everyone but me has to pay 6 bucks. That means I lost 3 pounds and had the largest weight loss for the week. Don't count on that for next week though. For some reason my weigh in at the beginning of this was slightly higher than where I typically am and I really don't have that much to lose to begin with. Besides, my goal is to participate and have fun. My other goal is to lean out, tone up and be as healthy as I can be. If that means paying every week (except this week!), then so be it. I will have fun any way.

Next up, bring on the P90X. I am sure most of you have heard of it. The incredibly intense workout that kicked numerous peoples butts. I would love to see the cardio piece to this program. I already have a lifting program that I really enjoy but for the brutally cold days that keep me indoors on cardio days, I need something I can do. A friend of mine has done the cardio and says it will kill you! Maybe not literally of course but that is her way of saying it is a tough tough workout. And for the weather we have been having lately, a tough cardio workout indoors is not a bad idea. With that being said, I have a friends copy of the program and plan to try out the cardio tomorrow. I will let you know how it goes. I hope I am alive after the cardio workout in order to type my review.

Stay tuned.

Central Market

Central Market is quickly becoming one of my favorite places, for numerous reasons, all of which occurred in one day. After work on Friday, I picked up dinner, cake, cards and Nyquil.


Dinner:

Central Market offers these fabulous meals which serves 4 people for the low price of $19.99. Check out the menu items from this past Friday. The cool part about this is that you can mix and match. You can get 2 chicken, 2 salmon and 2 servings each of all the side dishes. Or you can go with 4 pieces of chicken and 4 servings of 2 of the side dishes. And of course you can opt for 4 pieces of chicken…well, you get the idea. The best part, aside from it being only 20 bucks, is that the meal was really good.



Cake:

Next on my list was to find a birthday cake for Hunter. I don’t bake, so the next best thing is to buy one from a bakery that I hope makes a fabulous red velvet cake. I finally found the bakery and was in luck when I spotted a red velvet cake. (By the way, this cake was indeed fabulous. Not too sweet, just the right amount of icing. Yum)

Cards:

Finding the cards was bit more difficult than it should have been. I did ask someone for directions and when I arrived to the destination, I did not see them. I walked by them, probably 3 times before I realized they were right in front of my face. The greeting card aisles are set at an angle and they were short, say chest high. That threw me off a bit because the aisles just looked like display shelves, not to mention all the cards were cellophane wrapped. Oooh, fancy! I know I looked like a Central Market newb.

Nyquil:

No need for details here…I found the Nyquil.

Extra Added Bonus:

With all of my goodies in hand, I head to the check outline. While waiting in line, I start perusing the magazine and books that are on an end-cap. One in particular caught my eye. Because we are on this life style change of eating a more healthy diet, the title of this book grabbed my attention. It is called Cuisine Lite. Although I have not read the entire thing from front to back, it appears to lean towards 30 minute meals with a few 15 minute meals sprinkled in. It also focuses on healthy meals that consist of 400 calories and under. I can’t wait to try some of these recipes out. Other things I noticed while flipping through is that the book full of pictures and little tidbits of information about an ingredient you may be using for a recipe, or a nice summary of the dish that you are preparing.

For example:

• Beneficial Berries – a great source of antioxidants, berries are one food you should to eat every day. This chicken dish proves you can enjoy the taste and health benefits of berries beyond breakfast and before dessert.

Or

• Grilled Turkey Kebobs – This dish shows how small amounts of big flavors add up quickly. The rosemary, garlic and jalapeno combine to give sweet-and-spicy kebobs dramatic flavor that you’ll never guess is virtually fat free.



While others may not find the summaries interesting, I do for the simple fact that it literally summarizes the recipe which allows for easy decision making on whether or not to try the recipe.

Let the Challenge Begin

With the Biggest Loser Challenge underway (courtesy of Hunter setting it up), I thought I would share some things that I have read over the last few weeks that might help kick start this process for some people. Weight loss to me is a no brainer but all too often people can become victim to quick weight loss schemes. “Lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks”, “Drop a pant size in a week”, etc. Granted, these schemes may work, but only temporarily. As soon as you go back to eating normal, the weight returns. Often times I hear from people that say they are working so hard to lose weight but nothing is happening. Although that may be true, there is such a thing as working too hard. The focus could be in the wrong area such as the gimmicky weight loss schemes, misguided perceptions, false promises, you name it. They could possibly be focusing on working out more and not eating a more healthy diet or vice versa. These 2 things NEED to go hand in hand for permanent and healthy weight loss to be successful. A smart, balanced approach may not seem easy but getting caught up in weight-loss myths will only sabotage your success. Here are three top weight-loss myths, busted. In my opinion, these are the no brainer myths and probably the easiest to not stray away from.

Myth: You can lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks.
Truth: You probably can lose 10 pounds in two weeks if you crash diet, but you’ll feel terrible and most of the weight will return once you start eating normally. To truly lose 1 pound, you need to eliminate 3,500 calories (the amount stored in a pound of fat) by eating less and moving more. If you cut 500 calories (or cut 300 and burn 200 through exercise) every single day of the week, you’ll lose about a pound a week..

Myth: If you exercise, you can eat as much as you want.
Truth: Unless you’re working out like an Olympic athlete, to lose weight you’ll still need to keep an eye on how many calories you’re eating. “Calories in” add up much more quickly than “calories out.” Consider this: two medium cookies cost you about 400 calories. To burn 400 calories, the average person needs to run or walk 4 miles.

Myth: You should expect to be hungry while dieting.
Truth: If you cut calories randomly, you’re probably going to feel hungry. On the other hand, if you plan out your day so that you’re replenishing yourself with nutritious foods every three or four hours, you’ll likely feel satisfied on significantly fewer calories. Aim to include a source of lean protein (skim milk, turkey) and fiber (hummus, carrots) in every meal and snack.

 
Another part to this not so complicated puzzle is moving. I don’t mean packing bags and boxes and changing your residential location. I mean, really move, exercise, get your blood flowing, stop being a couch potato. The recommended amount of time to exercise is 30-45 minutes a day. 30-45 minutes. That is all. So when I hear people exclaim that they don’t have time to exercise, it makes me lose my mind! Personally, I think that excuse is a way out. So what if my statement causes controversy. I work full time, I have a family that I care for and a house to maintain, yet I manage to find the 30-45 minutes to work out. I have put this question out to people before that complain about time being a factor.

 “How bad do you want it?”

But I digress.

During the course of my reading, I found several websites that I pulled bits of information from. The first on the list are tips for exercising. I would be willing to bet that most people do not follow these recommendations. These are put in place for a more successful workout and to help prevent injury.

Tips for Exercising:

• Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after a workout.
• Do warm-up exercises for 5 - 10 minutes at the beginning of an exercise session. Strengthening exercises, quiet calisthenics, and walking are ideal.
• Do not eat for 2 hours before vigorous exercise.
• When exercising, listen to your body's warning symptoms

The next bit of reading led me the benefits of exercise. Like most people, I understand the basics of the benefits so when I came across this list, I felt it was something that needed to be shared. In my opinion, the most important benefits are not those that change you from a physical standpoint, but rather your overall internal health.

Benefits of exercise:

The benefits of exercise include (and are certainly not limited to):

• Decreased risk of cardiovascular (heart) disease, high blood pressure, and stroke
• Decreased risk of colon and breast cancers
• Decreased risk of diabetes
• Decreased risk of osteoporosis
• Decreased risk of depression and dementia
• Decreased body fat
• Improved metabolic processes -- the way the body breaks down and builds necessary substances
• Improved movement of joints and muscles
• Improved oxygen delivery throughout the body
• Improved sense of well-being
• Improved strength and endurance

Once you have embraced just how beneficial exercise can be, the next step is to identify the types of exercise and how they may be able to help you. Types of exercise can be summed up in 4 words: Cardio and Strength Training. There are benefits to both and yes, both are very much a necessary part of a successful regimen. The recommended amount of cardio exercise is 3-4 hours a week, while the Strength Training recommendation is 10 -20 minutes, 3 times a week for beginners. For those that have been at this for a while, 30-40 minutes, 3 to 4 times a week is recommended for the amount of time spent with Strength Training.

Cardio Training:

Regular Cardio exercise provides the following benefits:

• Protection from heart attack, stroke, diabetes, dementia, depression, colon and breast cancers, and early death
• Builds endurance
• Keeps the heart pumping at a steady and high rate for a long time
• Boosts HDL (good) cholesterol levels
• Helps control blood pressure
• Strengthens the bones in the spine
• Helps maintain normal weight
• Improves one's sense of well-being

Cardio is usually categorized as high or low intensity. High intensity cardio exercise is further classified as high or low impact. Examples of each include the following:

• Low- to moderate-impact exercises: Walking, swimming, stair climbing, step classes, rowing, and cross-country skiing. Nearly anyone in reasonable health can engage in some low- to moderate-impact exercise. Brisk walking burns as many calories as jogging for the same distance and poses less risk for injury to muscle and bone.
• High-impact exercises: Running, dance exercise, tennis, racquetball, squash. High-impact exercises should be performed no more than every other day and less often for those who are overweight, elderly, out of condition, or have an injury. Naturally, if there is a medical problem that, should rule out high-impact.

Strength (or Resistance) Training:

Benefits of Strength Exercise: While cardio exercise increases endurance and helps the heart, it does not build upper body strength, lower body strength or tone muscles. Strength-training exercises provide the following benefits:

• Build muscle strength while burning fat
• Help maintain bone density
• it is also associated with a lower risk for heart disease, possibly because it lowers LDL (the so-called bad cholesterol) levels
• Strength exercise is beneficial for everyone, even people in their 90s. It is the only form of exercise that can slow and even reverse the decline in muscle mass, bone density, and strength that occur with aging.

Strength training involves intense and short-duration activities. The following are some guidelines for starting a strength regimen:

• The sequence of a strength training session should begin with training large muscles and multiple joints at higher intensity, and end with small muscle and single joint exercises at lower intensities.
• Choose a weight that is about half of what would require a maximum effort in one repetition. In other words, if it would take maximum effort to do a single repetition with a 10-pound dumbbell, the person would start with a five-pound dumbbell. In the beginning, most people can start with one set of 8 - 15 repetitions per muscle group with low weights. As individuals are able to perform one or two repetitions over their routine, weights can be increased by 2 - 10%.
• Breathe slowly and rhythmically. Exhale as the movement begins. Inhale when returning to the starting point.
• The first half of each repetition typically lasts 2 - 3 seconds. The return to the original position lasts 4 seconds.
• Joints should be moved rhythmically through their full range of motion during a repetition. Do not lock up the joint while exercising it.
• For maximum benefit, you should allow 48 hours between workouts for full muscle recovery.

I understand this is a lot of information to take in and can be somewhat overwhelming. Once you incorporate the changes into your daily life, it honestly becomes second nature. There is so much more information out there than what I have provided here. This is just scratching the surface and is hopefully enough to get you started on your own routine.

Stay tuned for the results of the 1st week of the Weight Loss Challenge.

Insecurity and Quandary

insecurity
[in-si-kyoo r-i-tee]

–noun, plural -ties.

1. lack of confidence or assurance; self-doubt: He is plagued by insecurity.

quandary

[kwon-duh-ree, -dree]
–noun, plural -ries.
1. a state of perplexity or uncertainty, esp. as to what to do; dilemma.

My obsession has returned. Posting definitions is fun for me. This is a fun time. Not only have word definitions returned, but today there are 2 words, not just one like there has been in the past. Now I just need to tie these words in to my post for today. Unfortunately, this post is very similar to the one I posted in early December regarding blog posting. I guess you could say I am using my blog as a therapy session and getting it all out there.

I have a couple of insecurities when it comes to posting. I worry about how others will perceive my writing style. I debate on posting certain things for fear that they will not generate enough interest. Do I even have an audience? A couple of things happened over the course of December that sort of validated my insecurities. I put a question out there just to see how many people would respond to it. That is somewhat indicative of just how many readers I do have. You know how many responses I got? One. One response. Ouch. Then I stepped back and really thought about it. Maybe my question was just not interesting enough to garner a response from those that do read my blog. So, I brushed that one off as a live and learn type thing. Next time, make the question more captivating. The other thing I noticed is the lack of comments or feedback for any given post. I get a comment from time to time and it is generally from the same people (not complaining, just sayin’!) I love comments and I encourage them. They are meant to help me better my blog. So please, by all means, comment away. One last thing that I added to my blog is a “followers” feature. I set this up as another way for me to see who my audience is. So far I have one follower, but in my defense, I did just add this to my blog.

With all of that being said, I sit here with a positive outlook! I don’t care if I don’t appeal to everyone. I don’t care if my posts get no comments or 10 comments. I will blog anyway because I enjoy it. It can be used as an outlet. It can be used to share exciting news with family and friends. It can be even be used as a scrap book of sorts for sharing photos. Last, but certainly not least, It can be used for therapy as I have done today.

Now my only quandary is what the heck do I blog about in 2010?! (insert sarcasm here)

Work in Progress

I am still tweaking my blog and the more I tweak, the more I see that I want to change. I spent the better part of the morning trying to figure out why the photo editor we have (a photoshop knockoff) would not load. First issue was an mpeg vio driver error. Went through all the trouble shooting that the support page suggested. The error went away but then the program would not launch. The problem is, we are on Windows 7 and the photo editor we have is 1 version behind what is currently out right now. Translation: no support. I hate to say it, but I finally just gave up and went out to PicNik, (recommendation from Liz) and did my photo editing there. Voila, my new header image is born. I knew exactly what I wanted so it took me no time to create it. It turned out just how I pictured it would. So forget you photoshop knockoff photo editor. I found something better.

What Does 2010 Hold

I am not one for planning really really far in advance. However, parts of 2010 have already been booked. I am happy to announce that there are 3 trips in our future. Well, 2 for sure. The other one is still in the works as there are some issues/stumbling blocks to get ironed out first. We need to coordinate time off for one and the other is make sure our kiddo is taken care. (this is a big people trip). In May, we are hoping to go to Vegas with LaBrett and Gene. This trip is scheduled in the early part of May, during the school year. That is the stumbling block I am referring to. Our other trip is going to be to the coast with the Homuth family and of course, all 3 of us. And last, but certainly not least is a trip to Wisconsin during the holidays. Granted, we just got through the holidays but my mom and I have talked for years about us spending a holiday together. It is hard because all of us are so spread out. It makes it difficult to get every one together. One day while on the phone with my mom, I said, "let's just do it." So we are going to stop talking about it and just do it! Next holiday season will be a white one for us for sure.

The other events that are in the works for 2010 are the two racing events that I am working towards. Many of you already know that I have made a vow to participate in a duathlon. That is still going to happen. And my incessant need to run has me thinking another half marathon, injury free, is in the future. Ever since I started running, I have done a lot of reading. In that time, I found 2 website that I really like. Run On Texas and Active are two of my favorite websites for finding local races. They have other information as well, but I use them mainly for finding events that are in the area. I still rock it old school with magazine subscriptions to Runner's world and Bicycling. As much as I love the internets and gadgets, there is just something about having a magazine or a book in my hands.

One last thing is that I am hoping to hone in on my creative juices and really get them flowing. I have always wanted to paint something on canvas and hang it in my house. I am not artistically talented, at all, but my idea is something I am confident I can execute successfully. And the best part about this is I now have the information and the tools I need to get this art work done. Turns out that a friend of mine, very talented I might add, was showing me some pictures of some art work that he has done in the past. Low and behold, one of the pics was of my same idea. He was gracious enough to send me the steps needed to get it done. Said it would take about one to two weeks, depending on the size of the canvas. In my case, there are two canvases, no experience and no artistic talent...so I am guessing 4 to 6 weeks! Naw, I should give myself some credit. Afterall, I am good at a lot of things but not super great in one area. Maybe this will be the one area that I can be super great in!

Weight Loss Challenge

It would appear that many people I know are on a get healthy kick, including my husband. Not necessarily because of the New Year or some kind of resolution. I say this  because that is not how they have presented the health kick to me. Any how, Hunter comes home from work today and tells me that his office is kicking off a weight loss challenge starting Monday. His office has a gym, which they charge for and I think that is ridiculous...but I digress. Anyhow, part of the incentive of winning this challenge is a free month at their gym. Whoo Hoo? We already have a gym at the house so that is not a motivator for Hunter. He has always told me that he lacks the motivation to do it on his own and apparently I am not aggressive enough in my pleas to get him work out. So, he ended up talking to a few co-workers and they have decided to kick off their own challenge. They all decided there would be a "buy in" of sorts. The way it works is this: Each week, there will be a weigh-in. Let's just say that Hunter loses 2 pounds the first week. And let's say that everyone else loses less than that. Since Hunter lost the most during that week, he puts 2 bucks in to the pot while every one else has to double that amount. Weigh-ins will occur every week and who ever loses the most that week will only put in the dolloar amount of what they lost while every one else has to double it. This will continue for 3 months...so obviously the pot is going to grow. Who ever loses the most at the end of the 3 months gets the whole pot. I think that sounds like a pretty sweet deal. So, for the next 3 months, I will be Hunter's little cheerleader and support him in any way I can. We usually work out pretty well together so I don't think there will be any issues with that. The one issue however, is cardio. He hates it! He still has 3 months left of his 24 Hour Fitness membership. He bought a 3 year membership almost 3 years ago and has not really used it too much, so he decided he would not let it go to waste (any more) and use their cardio machines. Maybe by the time the membership is up, he will be ready to run and/or ride with me. Not sure about the running so much since it bothers his jacked up knees. We shall see. So there you have it. The first healthy kick event of the 2010 will be a 3 month long weight loss challenge that Hunter is part of. Hopefully, this will result in a lifestyle change that will just become 2nd nature. As for me and my challenge, my training for a duathlon will be starting really soon. Still trying to pin down a good training routine. I am really close to finding something I like though. And of course, I will be working out with Hunter and helping him to make sure he is not the one having to double the buy in!

Oh, side note: there is other incentive for both of us to get our butts in gear.


Trip to Vegas in May

And a trip to the coast in August.

Missed a Day

Well, I didn't exactly post every day like I said I was going to. In fact, today is really no different than yesterday, other than to say I am not going to post today! I am in the process of researching an item (custom made item) for Hunter. His birthday is January 8th so I need to get after it if I intend on getting this done in time for his big day. (um, is 36 considered a big day?)

P!nk and Social Networking

I have subscribed to Women's Health for a long time now. This month was full of goodness.  There was an article/interview with P!nk which was a great read.  Here a couple of little teasers.

Pink the Singer: a Softer Shade

Written by Lori Majewski for Women's Health

Pink doesn't need a bodyguard. In fact, she has an entourage of exactly one—her tour manager, Nick Cua—when she arrives at a hotel in Birmingham, England (where she's on tour), for her Women's Health interview. "She can take care of herself," Cua says.

- You two are back together, and you thank Carey before anyone else in the Funhouse liner notes, saying "You took my heart and made it bigger." But when you were making the CD, weren't you really pissed at him? Isn't that what "So what" is about?  

"No. I wasn't. [Big sigh] Long-term relationships are a layered onion. There's something about him I love, and I want him to be OK, even if he's not with me."

- How is that different from past relationships?

"When I met Carey, I was an abused puppy in the corner, ready to bite anyone who put their hand out. And there's a part of me who will always be kind of like that. But he was the first man I was with who allowed me to take a deep breath [she exhales] and close my eyes and fall backward. And most of the time, he was there. That's more than I can say about others. So when I say he took my heart and made it bigger, my heart was like this clenched fist. And even after he broke my heart, still, I had two bigger halves. I have more capacity to love and to be loved."

- Your tour is the Funhouse. Britney's tour is the Circus...

"I'm not taking anything away from Britney because I really like her a lot, but I would never go to a show where the person was lip-synching. When you grow up listening to Janis Joplin, you're not going to want to see somebody mime."

- You like Britney? Isn't she one of the girls you sing about in "Stupid Girls"? 

"I've always said I like Britney. I swear to God, I've stuck up for Britney since the beginning. She and I have talked about it. My point was, Stop comparing me to her, because we're different animals."  

If you are P!ink fan, you should check out the full article. 

There was also an article about Social Networking, Face Book specifically. A couple of things I found especially interesting was how Facebook started out and where it is now. It also pointed out peoples need to overshare.  I could not agree more, on both accounts. As much as I enjoy Facebook and will continue to use, it has morphed into something much more. It is riddled with games and has become a place for people to post things for shock value. I am all for feedback worthy comments...but some of the TMI stuff is just out of control! I have read many things that I think should come with a rating or a prescription for some kind of psych drug. This article had some pretty interesting posts and reasons why people post what they they do. I thought I would share a few of them. Enjoy. 


Social Networking: Don't Overshare
written by Fernanda Moore for Women's Health


The Ewwwdate

Anna My rash is better, but still oozing.
Josie Flu, day 3: Vomiting gone, but have the runs instead. And now Jack is throwing up.

Maybe these people think they're witty. (Potty humor never goes out of style, right?) Says Johnson: "One of my sons, when he was an infant, was a projectile pooper." (Thanks for sharing!) "If Facebook had existed back then, I would have rushed to post about it. Sometimes you just need to vent." Still, updates about bodily functions are TMI. You want to look away, but it's too late.

Actually, Ewwwpdaters may simply be upping their own antes. If no one comments on posts about your garden, then go for the gross-out! "The urge for attention turns ordinary folks into shock jocks," says Julie Albright, Ph.D., a sociologist at the University of Southern California. "The more revolting your updates, the more people will notice you." 


The I Chewed Up-Date

Christine is eating toast.
Christine just made ramen.
Christine has linguine with clam sauce—yum!

What's with the people who constantly post about food? The rest of us ate toast today too, but we fought the urge to shout it from the rooftops. Let's call them DCPs— digestive-compulsive posters—and leave it at that. "If you think about it," muses Albright, "dining is a social activity. The social significance of eating together goes back to our earliest roots, right?

"So if someone is at home alone, eating ramen she made for herself," Albright says, "posting on Facebook lets her break bread, virtually, with a community she apparently lacks." Says Johnson: "Aw, it's harmless. Just think, some people are still excited about this use of Facebook—saying 'Finally! I can tell everyone what kind of cereal I had...in real time!'"


The Re-Up-Date

Samantha is on the plane!
Samantha is landing!
Samantha Here comes my suitcase!

Overposters—those whose constant stream of drivel sends sensible people lunging for the "hide" button on their news feed—compulsively chronicle their every move and alter their profile pictures, relationship status, and so on. Sheesh. It makes you wonder what they did all day before Facebook existed. Don't these people have friends?


The Schutupdate

Jacqueline is putty in the hands of a man who brings her coffee in bed.
Melissa just loves morning sex.

Oh, she does, does she? Well, goody for her. Some people aren't getting any, and they really don't want to hear about other people's awesome rolls in the hay! And if it's, say, a coworker's post, we really don't want the image stuck in our heads. "Way back when, you'd have this intimate conversation with your closest friend...maybe," Johnson says. "But bragging about your sex life to hundreds of people shows that people's boundaries have become ridiculously eroded." Albright thinks it's simpler than that. "Look, sex sells," she says. "It's the most basic attention-seeking device there is. Describing their sexual antics online makes people feel twice as desirable—live, in front of a virtual audience!" 

I put this one right up there with the Ewwwwpdate.

Day After Christmas

Christmas Day was low key, calm, relaxing and down right lazy. I loved every minute of it. (Good thing Christmas day was on my off day of working out! Just kidding, sort of.) We spent much of our time playing with our new things, installing things that needed installing, plugging in things that needed to be plugged in, etc. You get the idea. I decided to share some of the highlights of our favorite gifts that we gave and got from each other.

First up, Hunter and his DJ Hero. He was like a little kid when he opened this one. The funny thing is, he always played it every time we went into Best Buy. So, I knew he would love having his own at the house. (I think he was a DJ in a previous life. He was mixing like and expert)



Next up is Aubry and her cool pix camera. She has been asking for a camera for a while now. Hard to hold off until Christmas since she has been asking for one for a few months.



Next on the list is Hunter with the running boards for his truck. I was very excited and nervous about this one. I managed to get out of him just what type of running board he was looking for. I found what I thought was the perfect match, and he was thrilled with them. Could not wait for the drive way to dry up so he could install them.



Up again, we have Aubry, sort of. Unfortunately, I did not get any pics of her opening this next gift. Our daughter is a gamer, through and through, just like her dad. There were several games on her list and we ended going with the ones that she talked about the most. The coolest one, in my opinion, is Super Mario for the Wii. It is the only multi player Mario game and we love to play together. So this was perfect.




Last but certainly least is me! There are no pics of me opening my gifts from Aubry and Hunter...since I was the one with the camera. I did manage to take pics of my gifts in and out of the box though. I also pulled some pics from the internets. (one of these days, the internets is really gonna take off)



One more thing I would like to share is from my very thoughtful daughter. I did the Breast Cancer 3-Day walk in November with my best friend, Liz. Aubry found a necklace that represents Breast Cancer awareness. She also picked a lovely silver pendant that I cannot wait to wear. I love and appreciate it and you very much. Thank you very much Aubry for always putting a smile on my face.

Merry Christmas from Our World to Yours

Merry Christmas Eve

It is snowing today and it is beautiful. I know, I know...we live in Texas. What do we know about snow? I am telling you, it is beautiful and I am loving it, as is the rest of my family. Just waiting for it to gather a little bit more so we can go play in it. Enjoy the pictures of the our little Texas snow.

Garmin...Alive or Dead

...or just tempermental?


Forerunner® 405
Copyright © 1996-2007 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries

I got out and ran yesterday with my trusty sidekick, Garmin. I love my Garmin. I even loved it when it was acting stupid and no longer uploading my data. (Garmin was gracious enough to send me a replacement.) I have had this 2nd Garmin since August of '08 and I have had no problems with it, until yesterday. Actually, I take that back, there were some issues with it when we loaded Windows 7 on my machine. But that was easily remedied by uninstalling and reinstalling all the necessary downloads for the Garmin to sync and upload properly. Any how, I get all settled at my computer, ready to see the data from my run. The ANT Agent cannot find the device. I go through all the necessary troubleshooting steps, uninstall, reinstall, etc. (this is just like deja vu for me...I know I have posted about this before.) All of my attempts to get it working are not successful. I find the customer service email address to Garmin and quickly send of a letter of plea, a plea to help me get this fixed. I was nice about it, but did remind them that this has happened to me once before and they kindly replaced it the first time. I am hoping to play on their softer side in hopes they will replace it again. I can't live without this thing. I love the ability of tracking my running, walking and biking.

Now the real question at hand is this: Is my Garmin dead or alive or perhaps just tempermental? I ask because this morning while sitting at my computer, checking FB, my Garmin beeps at me. I pick it up and the display reads "transferring data". I check the ANT Agent, open it up and it says the same thing. Then it prompts me to open up Garmin Connect, which I do, and there sits yesterdays data. It successfully uploaded. I am happy and confused. I think my Garmin fits well with this post: Love-Hate Relationship. Probably should have included it with the other items because I truly do love my Garmin.

Happens every year

...and around this same time too. All year long, I am training for something. There is always an event that I am working towards and this year was no different. I participated in 5K's, bike races, a 60 mile walk, all of which kept me motivated enough to keep the training up. Once the events tapered off, my training and working out started to taper off. I began evaluating the "reasons" for not working out in the month of December (and sometimes November) as much as I usually do throughout the year. All of the reasoning for the tapering off was pretty much just a ball of excuses. The biggest excuse is the weather. I am a fairweather runner/biker and these cold snaps that we get from time to time keep me indoors. If it reaches below freezing, my butt is usually staying inside. So, for Christmas, I have asked for a bicycle trainer so I can at least get on my bike and get some cardio in from the comfort of my garage! Speaking of the cold weather, I did go out a couple of weeks ago to purchase some gloves, pants and a sweatshirt that are more conducive to running in during the "winter" months. I have used them and they are great so perhaps the right gear is key to helping me get over it. Okay, a bit off track there...What I did learn about myself, like most people I know, motivation is the key. My motivation is knowing I will be as ready as I can be for whatever event I have signed myself up for. And I have already vowed to sign up for a duathlon in the Spring. That should be motivation enough to get out and start training for that event. But, it is nearly 4 months away so I have plenty of time. Right? Wrong. That 4 months will be here so quick and if I don't get out there now, I will be in a world of hurt.



While sitting here mulling over the motivation I need, I was checking my email and opened up the Quote of the Day email from Runner's World. I get these sent to me daily and they are quite inspiring. This mornings quote was a little different though. The links on the side really caught my eye. Specifically the link entitled, 101 Kicks in the Butt. It was like that article was written for me. I read through the 101 kicks and pulled out some that I think could really work for me and maybe others out there too. These are things that do not require that I have an event to get ready for, but rather, things that I can do every day to keep me going.



-101 KICKS IN THE BUTT
You have 100 reasons for losing motivation to run. But we can top 'em with tips, inspiring quotes, and more. Pick your fix. Repeat as necessary.
By Calvin Hennick

1) CREATE A BLOG where you post your daily mileage, then give out the Web address to your friends and family. Do you really want Aunt Ellen to ask why you skipped your four-miler on Wednesday?

- This is key for me. When I tell someone I am going to do something and I don't, the last thing I want to hear is, "I told you so."

2) THE PILE OF DISHES in the sink can wait till the sun goes down. Your tempo run can't.

- The biggest culprit for me is making sure things get done around the house first before I take care of me. I have to get over the fact that it is okay to be selfish sometimes.

3) BUDDY UP. Not many people can keep up with nine-time University of Colorado all-American Sara Slattery. Luckily, two-time Olympian Shayne Culpepper happens to live down the street. Find your own version of the Olympian next door to run with regularly.

- I would love more than anything to have a running buddy. Problem is, I can't find one. (insert sadness here)

4) HAVE A DAILY GOAL. Scott Jurek, seven-time champion of The Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, sets goals not just for big races but also for workouts. "Maybe it is a technique goal, maybe a pace goal, maybe a goal of running faster at the end," he says.

- This is perfect for me because I am obsessed with beating my last time, every time. Even if it is by a few seconds, I am still getting better.

5) BECOME A RUNNING MENTOR. Once you get your neighbor, coworker, or significant other hooked on your favorite sport, they'll be counting on your continued support and guidance--and company.

- I would love to get my husband involved...now, how to go about doing that?

6) FEELING TIRED? Instead of taking the day off, throw some walk breaks into your run. Use the breaks to refuel, stretch out sore muscles, or get inspired by the scenery.

- Every time I hit the streets, I hate the idea of needing to do interval training. This is something I need to get over and realize that is very necessary and an accetable form of training.

7) REMEMBER that you almost always feel better after a run than before it.

- Truer words could not be spoken! I always tell Hunter when I get back from a run just how much better I feel. Now, I just need to keep this top of mind, every day.

8) THINK YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO RUN? You can probably make a list longer than this one of things you're wasting time on today. Cut one of them out and get the run in.

- This is the BIGGEST excuse that I make and that hear my friends make. "I don't have time..." I call BS. I once asked a friend of mine how bad she wanted it and from that day on, when her alarm goes off, she says she hears my voice! I love that I could be inspiration and motivation for her. Now, to just continue practicing that myself...

There are so many other tips on this 101 list. I just pulled out the ones that spoke to me. Some of them are no brainers, but the daily reminder is nice. If you find yourself losing motivation and need a little pick me up, this is a great list.

If you could do the same thing....

Shannon has been my inspiration for attempting to blog daily in December. So far, I have missed one day and posted a give up blog on another day. (My creative juices were just not flowing that day.) Well, she has done it yet again. Her blog post for today was a simple statement: "Ask me anything." Knowing that she is very passionate about travel, I asked her if she could do the same thing every day, with the exception of travel, what would it be? So, that is what I would like to know from my readers. Honestly though, I have no idea who my readers are at this moment. I believe it is mostly family and a few friends. Regardless, I think it would be interesting to see what you have to say. I plan to post the responses, anonymously if you desire, on tomorrow's blog.

Dreams

dream  /drim/ [dreem]
–noun
1. a succession of images, thoughts, or emotions passing through the mind during sleep.
2. the sleeping state in which this occurs.
3. an object seen in a dream.
4. an involuntary vision occurring to a person when awake.
5. a vision voluntarily indulged in while awake; daydream; reverie.
6. an aspiration; goal; aim: A trip to Europe is his dream.
7. a wild or vain fancy.
8. something of an unreal beauty, charm, or excellence.

What causes a person to dream? According to the Freudian school, dreams are the result of subconscious thoughts and desires. Others say that dreams are made out of many small parts of memory and imagination that get combined to form dream imagery. Another opinion of why a person dreams is because they bring balance to the events that happen during the day. I personally find the last one to be bogus, especially considering the dreams I usually have. Dream interpretation is just like art, not every one will interpret the dream the same way. Granted, there are 'professional' people out there that claim to be able to interpret dreams, but how close are they really? If you think about the meaning of interpret, it's almost seems like an educated guess. I don't know, maybe I am wrong about that. Either way, I do find the meaning behind dreams to be quite fascinating. Sometimes I have been intrigued enough to look up the meaning of my dreams. Then when I find the meaning, or how someone else would interpret it, I am left somewhat disappointed. Take for instance, the naked dream. Part of the meaning or interpretation behind that is 'shamefulness'. The person could be shameful in some aspect of their life. Okay, I get that, but why naked? Why do people connect being naked with shamefulness? Therein lies the difference in how I would interpret a naked dream versus someone else's interpretation. There is a reason dreams are top of mind for me this morning. I woke up this morning feeling exhausted due to the extremely intense dream I had last night. There I was, all decked out in black with gun holsters around my thighs and a gun sling on my back, complete with a sniper rifle. (I did look pretty awesome, but I digress.) I found myself firmly planted on the roof top of a skyrise with my sniper rifle pointed at the head of a zombie. Yes, a zombie. I was the ONLY human left while these zombies tried to find me and convert me. I have had this dream before and it is very similar each time I have it. One time, I was runnin' and gunnin'. The other time, I was camped out in an office building of some sort, sniping from the window. Last night, I was on the rooftop. Each time I have had this dream, I have always survived. So, there are two ways to go about looking up the meaning of this dream. 1) Only surviving human out killing the zombies or 2) The recurring dream. Here is what I found so far:

- "Recurring dreams are quite common and are often triggered by a certain life situation or a problem that keeps coming back again and again. These dreams may recur daily, once a week, or once a month. Whatever the frequency, there is little variation in the dream content itself. Such dreams may be highlighting a personal weakness, fear, or your inability to cope with something in your life, past or present." Courtesy of Dream Moods

My first thought to this meaning is, I am killing zombies...I don't fear them in my every day life.

- "The repetitive patterns in your dream reveal some of the most valuable information about yourself. It may point to a conflict, situation or matter in your waking life that remains unresolved or unsettled. Some urgent underlying message in your unconscious is demanding to be understood." Again, Dream Moods.

My thought/question about this meaning is, why zombies? If I have an unresolved conflict, why would my recurring dream be about zombies?! Enough about the recurring dream interpretation. I get it. I have an unresolved conflict that I need to deal with. Moving on the meaning behind the actual dream and away from the fact that it is a recurring dream, here is what I found.

- "To dream that you are attacked by zombies, indicates that you are feeling overwhelmed by forces beyond your control. You are under tremendous stress in your waking life." Another excerpt from Dream Moods.

This meaning, I can fully relate to, especially since I dreamt of being attacked by zombies at the heels of a very stressful last few weeks of work. I survived it, unscathed, so let's hope the zombie dreams are coming to an end. However, they were pretty fun because I not only looked cool in my dream, but I was kicking some serious @$$ too.

On Again, Off Again

Much like my love/hate relationship with various items that I own, I also have an on again/off again relationship with none other than a video game. The video game I am referring to is World of Warcraft. Considering I did not grow up playing video games and did not have much interest in them until I met and married Hunter, it is odd that the first game I would pick up and love would be an MMORPG. The draw of this game is that it appeals to so many different types of people. With 10 million (+) subscribers, you have to believe that there is a nice variety of personalities. I have yet to figure out though what causes me to be so inconsistent with my play time. It has nothing to do with the game itself. In World of Warcraft, you create your alter ego by choosing from a variety of races and classes. Once you customize your avatar, you can begin exploring, questing, and battling in the fantasy land. Regardless of the complexity of this game, it is fairly easy to get into. The game's interface is easy to learn and understand, and the gameplay itself is pretty intuitive with the option to turn tool tips on or off. The tool tips are incredibly helpful for when you are just starting out. Blizzard, the makers of WoW are constantly making improvements, adding new items, new worlds, new quests, more gear for the avatars, etc. So, with all that being said, why do I go two months of playing, two to three months of not playing? It is loads of fun and every time I pick it back up, I always proclaim just how much fun it is. Why the on again/off again? Then it hit me...darn facebook has consumed the time I would usually be spending on WoW. It might be time to shift my priorities since there is a monthly fee to play World of Warcraft.

My Witty Daughter

wit⋅ty /ˈwɪti/ [wit-ee]
–adjective, -ti⋅er, -ti⋅est.
1. possessing wit in speech or writing; amusingly clever in perception and expression: a witty writer.
2. characterized by wit: a witty remark.
3. British Dialect. intelligent; clever.

I have become somewhat obsessed with posting the definition(s) of a key word that I am referencing in my blog. Well, this post is no different. Today, I choose to talk about wit just a little bit.


Witty defines my daughter to a T. She is quick and smart and her timing is impeccable. Her wittiness translates into being a fantastic writer. She has dozens of journals that she writes in. She has several 'books' that she has written and saved to her computer. (Some day, she hopes to be published and I encourage her to pursue that.) Her wit also comes out in every day conversation that keeps her Dad and me laughing. Not only does her conversation come fully loaded with the witty comments, but her text messages are filled with it as well. With that being said, she sends me a text message when she gets home from school. Most of them consist of how her day was, what she did in class, if she has homework, or if she can have a bag of popcorn for a snack. Once in awhile she will send something that throws me for a loop. Today was one of those days. Observe.


Aubry: i'm home

Me: hey, how are ya'?

Aubry: i'm good and i ain't got no homework! AND i don't have to dress out tomorrow and i got kickted out of english class.

Me: excuse me???

Aubry: i'm just kidding. i said, 'i ain't got no'. thought it might add affect. lol. sorry about that.

Me: it is okay, just caught me off guard is all. it was funny though.

Aubry: jokeable is one of my best qualities.

I love this kid and I love her humor. She is undeniably my child. I fear that she will surpass me in the wit department. Is there a school to hone that skill? I think I may need to register.

Tips for Cagers

cag⋅er  /ˈkey jer/
–noun
1. Informal. automobile driver

This post is meant to bring awareness to motorcycles on the road. It is very near and dear to me because my husband rides a Yamaha R6. There have been many times when he will take his motorcycle while Aubry and I take the car. Naturally we are on the road at the same time and I am typically the one following him. In the few times I have been behind him on the road, I have witnessed drivers making careless lane changes, tailgaiting, pulling up too close while at a stop light, attempting to cut the rider off that is trying to pass, etc. The list goes on. So, on behalf of my hubby and other riders, I thought I would take to my blog and post some safety/awareness tips for "cagers".

- Cagers should be aware that a riders will often slow down their motorcycle by downshifting. What this means is that the brake light is not activated. With this knowledge, Drivers should allow more following distance to give Riders (and you) more room to maneuver.

- A Rider will often adjust their position within their lane. This is mainly for better visibility, to avoid debris, and to minimize affects of the weather and other vehicles. This should not be interpreted as reckless driving. If anything, it will help you, the Cager, be more aware of the Rider.

- Obviously, a motorcyle is smaller than an automobile and because of its size, it may seem to be moving faster than it actually is. Also because of its small size, a motorcycle may look farther away than it actually is. When checking traffic to turn at an intersection, always predict that a motorcycle is closer than it looks.


*The number one cause of motorcycle and automobile accidents is when a Driver misjudges the distance of the Rider and makes a left hand turn in front of that rider.

- Even thought A motorcycle’s stopping distance is almost the same as it is for a car, rider skill level may affect stopping distance. As always, allow for more following distance when behind a motorcycle. Keeping a safe following distance when you are behind a Rider cannot be stressed enough.

- When a Rider is carrying a passenger, this will complicate all of the Riders riding responsibilities. Stopping distance, handling, maneuverability and balance are all affected by the passenger. When you see two on a motorcycle, give the Rider plenty of room.

- When the weather turns warmer, start to look for Riders. They will be out in full. Guaranteed.

For your sake and Riders everywhere, start looking. There are more Riders on the road than you realize.